To determine the effect of a massive single oral dose of Vitamin A (200,000 IU) supplementation on diarrhoea and acute respiratory infection (ARI), a double blind placebo controlled trial involving 174 children under six years of age (excluding infants) was carried out in a Calcutta slum community.

Ninety-one children received vitamin A supplementation (experimental group) and 83 children received a placebo (control group).

All the children were followed up for six months by active fortnightly surveillance for occurrence of diarrhoea or ARI and their duration.

There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of diarrhoeal episodes or ARI.